document_title: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

question_text: who created the macy's thanksgiving day parade

question_tokens: who created the macy 's thanksgiving day parade

root

text: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

text: History

text: In 1924, the annual Thanksgiving parade started in Newark, New Jersey by Louis Bamberger at the Bamberger's store was transferred to New York City by Macy's. In New York, the employees marched to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street dressed in vibrant costumes. There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first parade, Santa was enthroned on the Macy's balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then "crowned" "King of the Kiddies." With an audience of over 250,000 people, the parade was such a success that Macy's declared it would become an annual event.

tag: p

text: Anthony "Tony" Frederick Sarg loved to work with marionettes from an early age. After moving to London to start his own marionette business, Sarg moved to New York City to perform with his puppets on the street. Macy's heard about Sarg's talents and asked him to design a window display of a parade for the store.[4] Sarg's large animal-shaped balloons, produced by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, replaced the live animals in 1927. A popular belief was that a balloon version Felix the Cat balloon was the first character balloon in the parade back in 1927. Macy's also claimed that, but Felix actually made his first appearance in 1931.

text: At the finale of the 1928 parade, the balloons were released into the sky, where they unexpectedly burst. The following year, they were redesigned with safety valves to allow them to float for a few days.[5] Address labels were sewn into them, so that whoever found and mailed back the discarded balloon received a gift from Macy's.[5]

text: Through the 1930s, the Parade continued to grow, with crowds of over one million people lining the parade route in 1933. The first Mickey Mouse balloon entered the parade in 1934. The annual festivities were broadcast on local radio stations in New York City from 1932 to 1941,[6] and resumed in 1945, running through 1951.[7]

text: The parade was suspended from 1942 to 1944 as a result of World War II, owing to the need for rubber and helium in the war effort.[8][9] The parade resumed in 1945 using the route that it followed until 2008. The parade became known nationwide after being prominently featured in the 1947 film, Miracle on 34th Street, which included footage of the 1946 festivities. The event was first broadcast on network television in 1948 (see below). By this point the event, and Macy's sponsorship of it, were sufficiently well-known to give rise to the colloquialism "Macy's Day Parade". Since 1984, the balloons have been made by Raven Aerostar (a division of Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based Raven Industries).[10]

text: Macy's also sponsored the smaller Celebrate the Season Parade in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is held two days after the main event, from 2006 to 2013. Other American cities also have parades held on Thanksgiving, none of which are run by Macy's. The nation's oldest Thanksgiving parade (the Gimbels parade, which has had many sponsors over the years, and is now known as the 6abc Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade) was first held in Philadelphia in 1920. Other cities with parades on the holiday include the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago, Illinois and parades in Plymouth, Massachusetts; Seattle, Washington; Houston, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; and Fountain Hills, Arizona. A parade is held at the two Disney theme parks, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. There is also a second Thanksgiving balloon parade within the New York metropolitan area, the UBS balloon parade in Stamford, Connecticut, located 30 miles (48 km) away; that parade is held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, so as not to compete with the parade in New York City. It usually does not duplicate any balloon characters.

text: The classic "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" logo (seen below) was, with one exception, last used in 2005. For 2006, a special variant of the logo was used. Every year since then, a new logo has been used for each parade. The logos however are seen rarely, if at all, on television as NBC has used its own logo with the word "Macy's" in a script typeface and "Thanksgiving Day Parade" in a bold font. The logos are assumed to be for use by Macy's only, such as on the Grandstand tickets and the ID badges worn by parade staff. The Jackets worn by parade staff still bear the original classic parade logo, this being the only place where that logo can be found.

text: New safety measures were incorporated in 2006 to prevent accidents and balloon-related injuries. One measure taken was the installation of wind measurement devices to alert parade organizers to any unsafe conditions that could cause the balloons to behave erratically. In addition, parade officials implemented a measure to keep the balloons closer to the ground during windy conditions. If wind speeds are forecast to be higher than 34 miles per hour (55 km/h), all balloons are removed from the parade.

text: Balloon introductions

text: Since 2013, the balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade have come in two varieties. The first (and older of the two) is the novelty balloon class, consisting of smaller balloons; the novelty balloons range widely in size and are handled by between one and thirty people (the smallest novelty balloons are shaped like human heads and fit on the actual heads of the handlers). The second and more widely known is the full-size balloon class, primarily consisting of licensed pop-culture characters; each of these is handled by exactly 90 people. From 2005 to 2012, a third balloon class, the "Blue Sky Gallery," transformed the works of contemporary artists into full-size balloons.

text: The following is a list of balloons that have, over the years, been featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, sorted by their first year in the lineup. Underlined items indicate entries in the Blue Sky Gallery.

text:
Year
Balloons

1931
Felix the Cat, Mama, Papa and Baby

1934
Mickey Mouse, Eddie Cantor (the only full-size balloon to be based on a living person)[11]

1935
The Marx Brothers (after Zeppo Marx's departure), Donald Duck

1937
Dragon, Christmas Stocking

1938
Uncle Sam

1939
The Tin Man, Pinocchio, Santa Claus

1940
Hippo, Superman

1941
The Football Player (Redesigned version of Superman Balloon)

1945
Bobo the Hobo (Clown), Acrobat, Teddy Bear, Pumpkin, Ice Cream Cone

1946
The Baseball Player (Redesigned version of Bobo the Hobo), Panda Bear (Redesigned version of Teddy Bear balloon), Pilgrim Father

1947
Pirate, The Police officer (Redesigned version of The Baseball Player), Elf Gnome (Redesigned version of Ice Cream Cone balloon)

1948
The Fireman (Redesigned version of The Police Officer)

1949
Toy soldier

1950
The Dachshund

1951
Lucky Pup, Mighty Mouse, Flying fish

1954
Spaceman

1957
Popeye

1960
Happy Dragon

1961
Bullwinkle J. Moose

1962
Donald Duck (2nd version)

1963
Dino, Elsie the Cow

1964
Linus the Lionhearted

1965
Underdog

1966
Smokey Bear, Superman (2nd version)

1968
Aviator Snoopy

1969
Astronaut Snoopy (2nd version, a tribute to Apollo 11)

1972
Smile (Happy Face), Mickey Mouse (2nd version)

1975
Weeble

1977
Kermit the Frog

1980
Superman (3rd version, largest balloon to appear in parade)

1982
Olive Oyl, Woody Woodpecker

1983
Yogi Bear

1984
Garfield, Raggedy Ann

1985
Betty Boop, Ornament Novelty Balloons

1986
Humpty Dumpty (Redesigned version of Weeble balloon, and the 100th Balloon in the Parade's history), Olive Oyl with Swee'Pea (Alteration to existing Olive Oyl Balloon), Baby Shamu

1987
Ice Cream Cone Novelty Balloon, Spider-Man,[12] Ronald McDonald, Ice Skating Snoopy (3rd version), Snuggle Bear

1988
Big Bird, Quik Bunny, Pink Panther, Winter Snoopy (4th version) and Woodstock

1989
Bugs Bunny

1990
Clifford the Big Red Dog, Bart Simpson

1991
Babar the Elephant

1992
Novelty Pumpkins (Recreation of 1945 Pumpkin), Santa Goofy

1993
Beethoven (dog), Sonic the Hedgehog (first video game character in parade history), Rex, Izzy, Wiggle Worm

1994
Cloe the Holiday Clown, Barney the Dinosaur, The Cat in the Hat

1995
Dudley the Dragon, FujiFilm's Blimp, SkyDancer, Eben Bear (Redesigned version of Snuggle Bear Balloon)

1996
Rocky and Bullwinkle (2nd version for Bullwinkle, first animated helium balloon in the parade's history), Harold the Fireman (Re-Creation of 1948 "The Fireman" balloon), Flying fish (Re-creation of 1950 "Flying Fish" balloon), Peter Rabbit

1997
Arthur, Rugrats, Bumpe the Cow, Ms. Petula Pig

1998
Babe the Pig, Wild Thing, Dexter

1999
Millennium Snoopy (5th version), Honey Nut Cheerios Bee, Blue

2000
Bandleader Mickey Mouse (3rd version), Beret Tommy Pickles (minor alteration to existing Rugrats Balloon), Jeeves, Ronald McDonald (2nd version), Dragon Tales' Cassie, Charlie the Blue Elf Gnome (Recreation of 1940's Elf balloon)

2001
Toy Soldier (Recreation of 1950's Toy Soldier), Yellow 75th Parade Stars, Curious George, Pikachu, 75th Parade Snoopy (Alteration to existing Millennium Snoopy Balloon), Big Bird (2nd version), Happy Hippo (Re-Creation of 40's Hippo Balloon), Jimmy Neutron, Cheesasaurus Rex, 60th Anniversary Tuxedo Honey Nut Cheerios Bee (Alteration to existing Honey Nut Cheerios Bee Balloon)

2002
Uncle Sam (Recreation of 1930's Uncle Sam balloon), Yellow Parade Logo Stars, Charlie Brown and the Allusive Football, Little Bill (First African-American character to appear in the parade), Mr. Monopoly, Kermit the Frog (2nd version), Macy's Red Stars

2003
Gorgeous Gobbler (Recreation of 1940's Turkey balloon), Novelty Pumpkins (Second Version), Strike up the Band Barney (2nd version), Freda The Dachshund (Recreation of 1950s Dachshund balloon), Super Grover, Garfield (2nd version)

2004
Chicken Little, M&M's Red and Yellow Brighten the Holidays, Wiggle Worm (Second Version), Jeeves with a new suit (alteration of existing Jeeves Balloon), SpongeBob SquarePants, Red Candy Cane. Kit and C.J. Elf Gnomes

2005
Cloe the Holiday Clown (2nd Version), Scooby-Doo, Tom Otterness's "Humpty Dumpty", Dora the Explorer (First Latino character to appear in parade), Healthy Mr. Potato Head, JoJo

2006
80th Anniversary Hot Air Balloon, Macy's Yellow Stars, Snoopy as the Flying Ace (6th version), Pikachu with Poké Ball (2nd version, first balloon with light up features, In Pikachu's case, to light up his cheeks), Green Candy Cane

2007
Abby Cadabby, Supercute Hello Kitty, Shrek, Jeff Koons's "Rabbit", Artie the Pirate (Recreation of 1940s Pirate balloon), Planet Earth, Soccer Ball

2008
Smurf, Keith Haring's "Figure with Heart", Buzz Lightyear, 150 Years Golden TriStar, Horton the Elephant, Green Believe Star

2009
Spider-Man (2nd version),[12] Ronald McDonald (third Version), Basketball, Sailor Mickey (fourth version), Pillsbury Doughboy, Big Man Santa, Red Believe Stars

2010
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Takashi Murakami's "Kaikai and Kiki", Po from Kung Fu Panda, Virginia O'Hanlon

2011
Sonic the Hedgehog (second version), Harold the Police Officer (recreation of 1940's "The Police Officer" balloon) Paul Frank's "Julius The Sock Monkey", Tim Burton's "B", Gazor Elf (Winner of the Design an Elf contest that was held on the Macy's website)

2012
Hello Kitty (second version), Novelty pumpkins (third version), Happy Dragon (Recreation of older Happy Dragon balloon) Papa Smurf, Kaws's "Companion", The Elf on the Shelf

2013
Snoopy and Woodstock (seventh version for Snoopy, second version for Woodstock), Happy Hippo (New version of 2001 Happy Hippo balloon), SpongeBob SquarePants (second version), How to Train Your Dragon's Toothless, The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary Hot Air Balloon, Adventure Time with Finn and Jake

2014
Thomas the Tank Engine; Paddington Bear (2nd Time, first time as a Balloon); Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, Skylanders' Eruptor, Pikachu (third version); Pillsbury Doughboy (Second Version, Identical to first version)

2015
Scrat and his Acorn, Ronald McDonald (fourth version); Angry Birds Red;[13] Dino (second version)

2016
Charlie Brown (Second version), Trixie the Dog, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (second version), Trolls, Felix the Cat (Second Version)

2017
Olaf, Macy's Blue Stars, Jett from Super Wings, PAW Patrol's Chase, Harold the Baseball Player (Re-creation of 1946 "The Baseball Player" Balloon), The Grinch (2nd Version, first time as a Balloon), Gold Starflake

tag: table

text: Falloon

text: A falloon, a portmanteau of "float" and "balloon", is a float-based balloon. They were introduced in 1990.

text:
Year
Falloon

1990
Paddington Bear

1991
Humpty Dumpty, Giant Baseball and Glove

1993
Little Drummer Boy, Jester

1994
Sea Venture

1995
M&M's Chocolate Factory

1996
The Family Channel (Later Fox Family) Snow Family

1997
The Grinch, Jello

1998
M&M's Network, Heimlich from A Bug's Life, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

1999
Pets.com sock puppet

2000
Green Dog

2001
Green Dog with Doghouse (2nd Version), Percy the Penguin

2004
Universal Orlando Resort Holiday Beat (2nd Version of Little Drummer Boy)

2005
Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi

2008
The Smurfs Mushroom House, Bolt

2011
Universal Orlando Resort PB Polar Bear

text: Balloonicle

text: A balloonicle, a portmanteau of "balloon" and "vehicle", is a self-powered balloon vehicle. They were introduced in 2004.

text:
Year
balloonicle

2004
Weebles' Tibbey, Tooey and Bumpus

2005
SnowBo

2006
Energizer Bunny

2010
Kool-Aid Man, Holiday Ornament, Blue Holiday Ornament

2011
Sledding Aflac Duck

2013
Dreidel, Gelt the Snowman (Universal Orlando Only)

2014
Ice Skating Aflac Duck (2nd Version), Cloe the Holiday Clown (3rd Version)

2015
Tom Turkey (Universal Orlando Only)

2016
Mother Ginger

2017
Aflac Duck (3rd Version)

text: Float introductions

text:
Year
Floats

1924
Little Miss Muffet, Santa's Sleigh

1965
Santa's Sleigh (2nd Version)

1971
Tom Turkey (later sponsored by The E. W. Scripps Company)

1974
Sesame Street

1978
Santa's Sleigh (3rd Version)

1979
The Magic Mayhem Bus, Sesame Street

1981
New York Daily News Big Apple

1984
Fraggle Rock, Care Bears.

1985
Masters of the Universe, Rainbow Brite.

1986
SeaWorld

1987
Marvel Comics

1988
Santa's Sleigh with a Goose (4th Version)

1991
Rock-A-Doodle

1994
Sesame Street reading and writing

1995
Macy's Santaland Express, Sega's Pico Bus

1996
101 Dalmatians, Barney's Westward Ho! Wagon, Animal Planet

1998
Barney's Gingerbread House, Sesame Street Pop-up Book

1999
Barney's Night Before Christmas (2nd float)

2000
102 Dalmatians, Santa's Sleigh with the Goose (2nd Edition), Delta Airlines, Ronald's Big Red Shoe Car

2001
PokeMobile, Kitty Car, 75th Parade All Stars, World Wrestling Federation Get Real, Bob the Builder, Hallmark Entertainment's Dinotopia

2002
Barney's Playtime in The Park (3rd float), The Hershey Company's Kids Candy Creation Lab, Macy's Marion-Carole "Showboat", Lego's Carousel Of Imagination, Angelina Ballerina, Build-a-Bear Workshop Teddy Bear's Workshop, Sesame Street International.

2003
Hess Corporation Bridge to the Future, Eckō Unltd.'s Expedition To Rhino Mountain, Big Comfy Couch, Amica Mutual Insurance American Classic Malt Shop, United States Postal Service's Spirit Of America/American Eagle

2004
123 Sesame Street, Tutenstein, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, Royal Caribbean International Voyage to Adventure, Georgia-Pacific Krazy Kritters, Fisher-Price The Magic of Childhood, Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, NFL Classic, Spirit of America Pep Rally.

2005
The Polar Express, Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary of Disney Park Magic, Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, Pillsbury Company, Animal Planet (2nd Edition).

2006
Barbie & the 12 Dancing Princesses, Doodlebug, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Mother Goose, Greendog's Space Station Discovery, Snoopy's Doghouse, Charlotte's Web, History Channel's New York Tin Toy.

2007
The Care Bears Winter Fun-Derland, International Cele-Bear-Ation Clock Tower, M&M's Chocolate Candies on Broadway, Music Bigger than Life, Barbie as the Island Princess.

2008
My Princess Academy Castle of Dreams, Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers, Oneida Indian Nation True Spirit of Thanksgiving, Musical Innovation|Bigger Than Life, Jimmy Dean Shine On, Ocean Spray Woodland Family Gathering, Delta Airlines Winter Wonderland in Central Park.

2009
Hamburger Helper Local Heroes Helping Everyday, Yo Gabba Gabba! There's a Party in My City, Santa's Sleigh (5th Version),

2010
South Dakota Great Faces Great Places Mount Rushmore's American Pride, Morton Salt Home Baked Goodness, Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure, Homewood Suites On the Roll Again, Office Max Elves Raise the Roof, Despicable Me, Pokémon Black and White's Reshiram and Zekrom,

2011
Universal Orlando Resort's P.B. Polar Bear, Zhuniverse, National Hockey League Frozen Fall Fun, Macy's Gift of Freedom (Statue of Liberty), Planters' Nut Mobile (second Edition), 85th Parade All Stars

2012
Sprout Daytime, Play Time, Night Time Too; Goldfish on Parade, Gibson Guitar Corporation Music Is Our Life, 75th Anniversary of March Madness, Domino Sugar Stirrin’ Up Sweet Sensations, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2013
The Enchanting World of Lindt Chocolate, Royal Caribbean International Windows to the World at Sea, Uncle Sam's Top Hat by Drake's, SeaWorld Sea of Surprises, Viking Confetti Catapult, Despicable Me 2 Delicious Yet Despicable, Cirque du Soleil's Dreamseeker

2014
Cracker Jack at the Ball Game, Goldieblox Girl Powered Spinning Machine, Dora and Friends Aventuras Fantásticas, Pirate's Booty Treasure Hunt, Sino-American Friendship Association's Beauty of Beijing

2015
Spirit of America's Big City Cheer, National Hockey League, Sino-American Friend Association's Stone Forest of Kunming, KFC The Colonel's Trip to NYC, Avocados from Mexico Casa Fresca Café, Sprout Free to Play, Build-A-Bear Workshop Discover Adventure, Ocean Spray The Cranberry Co-Operative, Snoopy's Doghouse (2nd version), Hallmark Channel Heartwarming Holiday Countdown

2016
Balsam Hill Oh Christmas Tree, King's Hawaiian The Aloha Spirit, Krazy Glue Fun House, Girl Scouts of the USA Building a Better World, Sino-American Friend Association China's Chengdu

2017
Shimmer and Shine, Green Giant's Harvest, Celebrate with Entenmann's, Sour Patch Kids' Parade Day Mischief, Sprout's Universal Playground, Delta Airlines Human Christmas Tree

text: Performers and acts

text: In addition to the well-known balloons and floats, the Parade also features live music and other performances. College and high school marching bands from across the country participate in the parade, and the television broadcasts feature performances by established and up-and-coming singers and bands. The Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall are a classic performance as well (having performed annually since 1957 as the last pre-parade act to perform and their performance was followed by a commercial break), as are cheerleaders and dancers chosen by the National Cheerleaders Association from various high schools across the country. The parade always concludes with the arrival of Santa Claus to ring in the Christmas and holiday season.

text: On the NBC telecast from in front of the flagship Macy's store on Broadway and 34th Street, the marching bands perform live music. Most "live" performances by musicals and individual artists lip sync to the studio, soundtrack or cast recordings of their songs,[14] due to the technical difficulties of attempting to sing into a wireless microphone while in a moving vehicle (performers typically perform on the floats themselves); the NBC-flagged microphones used by performers on floats are almost always non-functioning props. Although rare, recent parade broadcasts have featured at least one live performance with no use of recorded vocals.

text: Featured performers

text:
Year
Performers

2002
Ashanti, LeeAnn Womack, Josh Groban, Baha Men, Michael Feinstein, Mario, No Secrets, Natural, Play, Jill Hennessy, F. Murray Abraham, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Vince McMahon, Good Morning, Miami cast, Justin Guarini, Joe Lawrence, Matt Gallant, Jeff Corwin, Patty Duke, Judy Kaye, Joe from Blue's Clues, Eric Martsolf, and The Wiggles

2003
Hilary Duff, Chicago, Aaron Carter, Mýa, Kool and the Gang, Stacie Orrico, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Judy Collins, Simple Plan, Peter Nero, Ann Hampton Callaway, Peter Cincotti, Old Crow Medicine Show, A Christmas Carol cast, Harry Connick Jr., Bernie Williams, and Harvey Fierstein

2004
Kelsey Grammer, Brooke Shields, Jimmy Smits, Andrea Bocelli, Fantasia Barrino, Tony Shalhoub, Joe Namath, Tony Dorsett, Passions cast, Deborah Voigt, Steve Irwin, Nikki Cox, Jennifer Finnigan, Josh Cooke, Barenaked Ladies, Gavin DeGraw, Peter Cetera, José Feliciano, Ryan Cabrera, Nina Sky, Hi-5, Raven-Symoné, Jeff Timmons, Hayley Westenra, and Bering Strait

2005
Harry Connick Jr., Adrien Brody, Amy Grant, Christina Applegate, LeAnn Rimes, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Aaron Neville, Brian McKnight, Peter Reckell, Carrie Underwood, Kristin Chenoweth, Tommy Tune, The Beach Boys, Jai Rodriguez, Jeff Corwin, Keegan-Michael Key, Aly & AJ, B5, Natasha Bedingfield, The Cheetah Girls, Rita Coolidge, The Click Five, Tiffany Evans, Michael Feinstein, Brie Larson, Puffy AmiYumi, and Rihanna

2006
Julie Andrews, Laurie Berkner, Chris Brown, RBD, Cheyenne, Ciara, Miley Cyrus, Diana DeGarmo, Gloria Estefan, Renee Fleming, Big Apple Circus, Natalie Grant, Hall & Oates, High School Musical cast, Jonas Brothers, Josh Kelley, Darlene Love, Barry Manilow, Sarah McLachlan, Tara Conner, Sandi Patty, John Tartaglia, Ali Larter, Denise Van Outen, and Connie Britton

2007
Ashley Tisdale, Bindi Irwin, Terri Irwin, Corbin Bleu, Dolly Parton, Good Charlotte, Jonas Brothers, Lifehouse, Menudo, Ne-Yo, Nikki Blonsky, Sarah Brightman, Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, Wynonna Judd, and Jordin Sparks

2008
Kristin Chenoweth, Darius Rucker, James Taylor, Charice Pempengco, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Cyrus, David Archuleta, Shontelle, Idina Menzel, Rick Astley (as part of a Rickroll during the parade), Ashanti, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick Jr., Faith Hill, Push Play, and The Clique Girlz

2009
Tiffany Thornton, Kermit the Frog, Keke Palmer, Andrea Bocelli, Bello Nock, Big Apple Circus, Boys Like Girls, Alan Cumming, Billy Currington, Yo Gabba Gabba! cast, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), Gloria Gaynor, Emily Hughes, Jane Krakowski, Katharine McPhee, Sesame Street cast, Mitchel Musso, Pizzarelli Quartet, Jay Sean, Ziggy Marley, and Carly Simon

2010
Kylie Minogue, Carrie Underwood, Kanye West, Jessica Simpson, Gladys Knight, India.Arie, Big Time Rush, Big Apple Circus, Arlo Guthrie, Betty Buckley, Ann Hampton Callaway, Miranda Cosgrove, Isabella Collins, Gloriana, Michael Grimm, Juanes, Keri Hilson, Eric Hutchinson, Victoria Justice, Mannheim Steamroller, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), Sesame Street cast and Muppets, Kyle Swann, Rima Fakih, the cast of Power Rangers Samurai, Crystal Shawanda, Joan Rivers, and Melissa Rivers

2011
The Cast of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Rodney Atkins, Big Apple Circus, Mary J. Blige, Cobra Starship, Neil Diamond, Michael Feinstein, The Fresh Beat Band, Cee Lo Green, Avril Lavigne, Shelby Lynne, Mannheim Steamroller, China Anne McClain, Scotty McCreery, Ingrid Michaelson, Sesame Street cast and Muppets, Savannah Outen, the cast of Power Rangers Samurai, Daniel Radcliffe, Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan, Willard Scott, Sarah Smithson, Straight No Chaser, United States Naval Academy Glee Club, Johnny Weir, Zendaya and the Nickelodeon Queens

2012
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Trace Adkins, Flo Rida, the Big Apple Circus, Colbie Caillat, Teresa Castillo, Rachel Crow, Thirza Defoe, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Isaak, Carly Rae Jepsen, Karmin, Christian Laettner, Sandra Lee, Mannheim Steamroller, Jennette McCurdy, Don McLean, Megan & Liz, Olivia Culpo, the cast of Sesame Street, Neon Trees, the cast of Power Rangers Megaforce, Cody Simpson, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber, PS22 Chorus, The Wanted, Geoffrey Zakarian, and The Kidz Bop Kids.

2013
The cast of NBC's The Sound of Music Live!, Debby Ryan, Big Apple Circus, Cherokee National Youth Choir, the cast of The Sunny Side Up Show, Cirque du Soleil, Gavin DeGraw, Brett Eldredge, Fall Out Boy, The Summer Set, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), the cast of Sesame Street, Fifth Harmony, Florida Georgia Line, Goo Goo Dolls, Ariana Grande, Jack Hanna, Megan Hilty, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Sandra Lee, Cher Lloyd, Austin Mahone, Richard Simmons, Mannheim Steamroller, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, Bart Oates, Amani Toomer and Hines Ward; Cam Neely and Mike Richter, Kristin Chenoweth, Kellie Pickler, and the cast of Duck Dynasty

2014
The cast of NBC's Peter Pan Live!, Renee Fleming, William Blake, Idina Menzel, Before You Exit, Becky G, MKTO, Needtobreathe, Sabrina Carpenter, Lucy Hale, KISS, Cole Swindell, Nick Jonas, The Madden Brothers, Quvenzhané Wallis, The Vamps, Meghan Trainor, Nia Sanchez, Romeo Santos and Pentatonix.

2015
The cast of NBC's The Wiz Live!, Jordin Sparks, the cast of Sesame Street with Questlove, Trey Songz, Jake Owen, Andy Grammer, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T's, Shawn Mendes, Cirque du Soleil's Dreamseeker, Mipso, Daughtry, Sprout cast, Andra Day, Big Apple Circus, Sofia Carson, Rachel Platten, Prince Royce, the cast of School of Rock, MercyMe, Jennifer Nettles, Train, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo and Mariah Carey

2016
The cast of NBC's Hairspray Live! Brett Eldredge, Chloe and Halle, Daya, De La Soul, Easton Corbin, Fitz and The Tantrums, Jacob Whitesides, Kelsea Ballerini, 2016 Olympic Medalist Laurie Hernandez, Mikey Brannigan, Gianfranco Iannotta, Hannah McFadden, Tatyana McFadden, & Claressa Shields, Maddie and Tae, Aloe Blacc, Ben Rector, Regina Spektor, Lunchmoney Lewis, The Muppets, Grace VanderWaal, Tony Bennett, Timeflies, Michelle Carter, Sarah McLachlan, Diamante Electrico, and Johnnyswim

2017

text: Broadway shows

text: Every year, cast members from a number of Broadway shows (usually shows that debuted that year) perform either in the parade, or immediately preceding the parade in front of Macy's and before The Rockettes' performance (since NBC broadcasts the parade's start, the performances are shown during the wait for the parade itself). The 2007 parade was notable as it took place during a strike by the I.A.T.S.E. (a stagehands' union), and as such, Legally Blonde, the one performing musical affected by the strike, performed in show logo shirts, with makeshift props and no sets. The other three shows that year performed in theaters that were not affected by the strike.

text:
Year
Performances

1980
Brigadoon, The Pirates of Penzance, A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine

1981
Sophisticated Ladies, Camelot

1983
Cats, My One and Only

1984
The Tap Dance Kid

1986
Me and My Girl, Sweet Charity, Big River

1988
Godspell, Forbidden Broadway, Into the Woods

1989
Meet Me in St. Louis

1991
Grand Hotel, The Secret Garden, Miss Saigon, The Will Rogers Follies

1992
Annie Warbucks, Jelly's Last Jam, Guys and Dolls, Falsettos

1993
Raffi on Broadway, My Fair Lady, The Who's Tommy, Kiss of the Spider Woman

1994
Beauty and the Beast, Grease, Show Boat, Damn Yankees

1995
Hello, Dolly!, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Smokey Joe's Cafe

1996
The King and I, Rent, Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, Chicago

1997
Titanic, Side Show, Street Corner Symphony, The Sound of Music

1998
Cabaret, Footloose, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Annie Get Your Gun, Peter Pan

1999
Saturday Night Fever, Fosse, Swing, Kiss Me, Kate

2000
The Music Man, Seussical, Swing, Annie Get Your Gun

2001
Mamma Mia!, 42nd Street, Thou Shalt Not, Contact

2002
Hairspray, Oklahoma!, The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie

2003
Wicked, The Boy From Oz, Little Shop of Horrors, Never Gonna Dance

2004
Bombay Dreams, All Shook Up, La Cage aux Folles, Wonderful Town, Good Vibrations

2005
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Jersey Boys, Sweet Charity

2006
A Chorus Line, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Color Purple, Spamalot

2007
Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Young Frankenstein, Xanadu

2008
White Christmas, In the Heights, South Pacific, The Little Mermaid

2009
Billy Elliot, Bye, Bye Birdie, Hair, Shrek

2010
Memphis, American Idiot, Elf, Million Dollar Quartet

2011
Turn Off the Dark, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Sister Act, Newsies

2012
Annie, Bring It On, Elf, Cinderella, Nice Work If You Can Get It

2013
Matilda, Motown, Pippin, Kinky Boots

2014
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Last Ship, On the Town, Side Show

2015
On Your Feet!, The King and I, Finding Neverland, Something Rotten!, Fiddler on the Roof, School of Rock

2016
Holiday Inn, Waitress, Cats, Paramour

2017
Anastasia, Spongebob SquarePants, Once on This Island, Dear Evan Hansen

text: Marching bands

text:
Year
Performances

2013
Concord High School Marching Band, Elkhart, Indiana; Lakota West High School Marching Band, West Chester, Ohio; Macy's Great American Marching Band; James Madison University Marching Royal Dukes, Harrisonburg, Virginia; Marian Catholic High School Marching Band, Chicago Heights, Illinois; Mountain View High School Marching Band, Mesa, Arizona; New York City Police Department Marching Band, New York; Ooltewah High School Marching Band, Tennessee; Tarpon Springs High School Marching Band, Florida; Union High School Marching Band, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Quantico Marine Corps Band, Quantico, Virginia; University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band, Amherst, Massachusetts

2014
American Fork High School Marching Band, Utah; Bahamas All Stars Marching Band, Nassau, Bahamas; Baldwinsville High School Marching Band, Baldwinsville, New York; Center Grove High School Marching Band, Greenwood, Indiana; Winston Churchill High School Marching Band, San Antonio, Texas; Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Marching Band, Lexington, Kentucky; Foothill High School Marching Band, Henderson, Nevada; Georgia State University Marching Band, Atlanta, Georgia; Macy's Great American Marching Band; Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps Anniversary Corps, Madison, Wisconsin; New York City Police Department Marching Band, New York; Western Carolina University Marching Band, Cullowhee, North Carolina

2015
Macy's Great American Marching Band; Stephen F. Austin State University Marching Band, Nacogdoches, Texas; Cavalier Marching Band (University of Virginia), Charlottesville, Virginia; New York City Police Department Marching Band, New York; Gulf Coast High School Marching Band, Naples, Florida; Walled Lake Central High School Viking Marching Band, Walled Lake, Michigan; Munford High School Marching Band, Munford, Tennessee; Nogales High School Noble Regiment Marching Band, La Puente, California; Lewis Cass High School Marching Band, Walton, Indiana; New York City Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes & Drums, New York; North Hardin High School Marching Band, Radcliff, Kentucky; West Chester University Marching Band, West Chester, Pennsylvania; Marching Illini (University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign), Champaign, Illinois

2016
Cary Senior High School marching band, Cary, North Carolina; Grain Valley High School Marching Eagles, Grain Valley, Missouri; Greendale High School Marching Band, Greendale, Wisconsin; Harrison High School marching band, Kennesaw, Georgia; Hawaii All State Marching Band; Hendrickson High School Hawk Band, Pflugerville, Texas; Newsome High School Marching Band, Lithia, Florida; Prospect High School Marching Knights, Mt. Prospect, Illinois; West Point Band, West Point, New York; West Virginia University Mountaineer Marching Band, Morgantown, West Virginia; Macy's Great American Marching Band; New York City Police Department Marching Band, New York

2017

text: Special guests

text: For the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks in 2011, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade invited family members from Tuesday's Children, a family service organization that has made a long-term commitment to those directly impacted by the attacks and terrorism around the world, to cut the ribbon at the start of the parade with NBC's Al Roker and led the parade with Amy Kule, the Parade's executive producer.

text: Television coverage

text: More than 44 million people watch the parade on television on an annual basis. It was first televised locally in New York City in 1939 as an experimental broadcast on NBC's W2XBS (forerunner of today's WNBC).[15] No television stations broadcast the parade in 1940 or 1941, but when the parade returned in 1945 after the wartime suspension, local broadcasts also resumed.[16][17] The parade began its network television appearances on CBS in 1948, the year that major, regular television network programming began.[18][19] NBC has been the official broadcaster of the event since 1952, though CBS (which has a studio in Times Square) also carries unauthorized coverage under the title The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS.[20] Since the parade takes place in public, the parade committee can endorse an official broadcaster, but they cannot award exclusive rights as other events (such as sporting events, which take place inside restricted-access stadiums) have the authority to do. The rerouting of the parade that was implemented for the 2012 event (see below) moved the parade out of the view of CBS's cameras and thus made it significantly more difficult for the network to cover the parade (though the route now passes along the west side of the network's Black Rock headquarters building along Sixth Avenue, and the hosts are stationed on a temporary tower platform at the Sixth/W. 53rd St. corner of the building); CBS nevertheless continues to cover the parade to the same extent as in previous years.

text: Since 2003, the parade has been broadcast simultaneously in Spanish on the sister network of NBCUniversal (Telemundo) host by María Celeste Arrarás from 2003-2006. The parade won nine Emmy Awards for outstanding achievements in special event coverage since 1979.

text: At first, the telecasts were only an hour long. In 1961, the telecast expanded to two hours,[21] and was then reduced to 90 minutes in 1962, before reverting to a two-hour telecast in 1965; all three hours of the parade were televised by 1969.[22] The event began to be broadcast in color in 1960.[23] NBC airs the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade live in the Eastern Time Zone, but tape delays the telecast elsewhere in the continental U.S. and territories from the Central Time Zone westward to allow the program to air in the same 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. timeslot across its owned-and-operated and affiliated stations; since the morning program's expansion to three hours in 2000 and eventually to four hours, NBC's Today only airs for two hours Thanksgiving morning as a result, pre-empting the latter two talk-focused hours of the show for the day. NBC began airing a same-day afternoon rebroadcast of the parade in 2009 (replacing the annual broadcast of Miracle on 34th Street, which NBC had lost the broadcast television rights to that year). CBS's unauthorized coverage airs live in most time zones, allowing viewers to see the parade as many as two hours before the official NBC coverage airs in their area; CBS still broadcasts the parade on delay on the West Coast, immediately after the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game in years when CBS carries it, or at 9 a.m. local time in years they carry the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game.[20]

text: From 1962 to 1970, NBC's coverage was hosted by Lorne Greene (who was then appearing on NBC's Bonanza) and Betty White. Ed McMahon co-hosted in 1971, then hosted until 1981. Since 1982, NBC has appointed at least one of the hosts of Today to emcee the television broadcast, starting with Bryant Gumbel, who hosted the parade until 1986. From 1987 to 1996, NBC's coverage was hosted by longtime Today weather anchor Willard Scott. During that period, their co-hosts included Mary Hart, Sandy Duncan, and Today colleagues Deborah Norville and Katie Couric. In recent years, NBC's coverage has been hosted by Today anchors Matt Lauer (from 1998 to 2017), Meredith Vieira (from 2006 to 2010), Ann Curry (2011) and Savannah Guthrie (since 2012) as well as Today weather anchor Al Roker who usually joins the producers of the parade and special guests in the ribbon cutting ceremony.

text: From the early 1980s until circa 1994, the television broadcast was produced and directed by Dick Schneider; since circa 1994, it has been executive produced by Brad Lachman (who has otherwise been known for producing reality television series), produced by Bill Bracken and directed by veteran sitcom director Gary Halvorson. Announcements during the telecast were first provided by Don Pardo, followed by Lynda Lopez, the telecast's only female announcer, who served during the decade wherein Willard Scott was the parade's host; from circa 1994 to 2010, announcer duties were helmed by Joel Godard (who also served as the announcer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien for much of that period), and then were assumed by Today announcer Les Marshak with the 2011 telecast. The musical director for the television coverage is veteran composer/arranger Milton DeLugg.

text: CBS's coverage was originally part of the "All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade," a broadcast that included footage from multiple parades across North America, including parades at Detroit, Philadelphia and Disneyland (the latter was later replaced by Opryland USA in 1997 and after that Miami Beach), and taped footage of the Toronto Santa Claus Parade (taped usually the second or third weekend of November) and the Aloha Floral Parade in Honolulu (which usually took place in September). Beginning in 2004, however, CBS has focused exclusively on the Macy's parade, but avoids using the Macy's name due to the lack of an official license. To compensate for the fact that the Broadway and music performances can only appear on NBC, CBS adds their own pre-recorded performances (also including Broadway shows, although different from the ones that are part of the official parade and recorded off-site) to fill out the special.[24]

text: For the 1997 parade, MTV guest reporters, Beavis and Butt-head, with host Kurt Loder, provided their usual style of commentary on aspects of the parade, and of their take on Thanksgiving in general. The special, titled Beavis and Butt-head Do Thanksgiving, included a balloon of Beavis and Butt-head spectating from their couch. The balloon was not participating in the parade, but stationed on top of a building alongside the parade route.

text: Radio coverage is provided by Entercom's WINS (1010 AM) in New York City. It is one of the few times throughout the year in which that station breaks away from its all-news radio format.

text: In 2016, Verizon produced a 360-degree virtual reality live telecast of the parade, with minimal commentary, made available through YouTube.[25]

text: Parade route

text: The Parade has always taken place in Manhattan. The parade originally started from 145th Street in Harlem and ended at Herald Square, making a 6-mile (9.7 km) route.

text: In the 1930s, the balloons were inflated in the area of 110th Street and Amsterdam Avenue near St. John the Divine Cathedral. The parade proceeded South on Amsterdam Avenue to 106th Street and turned east. At Columbus Avenue, the balloons had to be lowered to go under the Ninth Avenue El. Past the El tracks, the parade proceeded through 106th Street to Central Park West and turned south to terminate at Macy's Department Store.

text: A new route was established for the 2009 parade. From 77th Street and Central Park West, the route went south along Central Park to Columbus Circle, then east along Central Park South. The parade would then make a right turn at 7th Avenue and go south to Times Square. At 42nd Street, the parade turned left and went east, then at 6th Avenue turned right again at Bryant Park. Heading south on 6th Avenue, the parade turned right at 34th Street (at Herald Square) and proceeded west to the terminating point at 7th Avenue where the floats are taken down.[citation needed][26] The 2009 route change eliminated Broadway completely, where the parade has traveled down for decades. The City of New York said that the new route would provide more space for the parade, and more viewing space for spectators. Another reason for implementing the route change is the city's plan to turn Broadway into a pedestrian-only zone at Times Square.

text: Another new route was introduced with the 2012 parade. This change is similar to the 2009 route, but eliminated Times Square altogether.

text: It is not advised to view the parade from Columbus Circle, as balloon teams race through it due to higher winds in this flat area. New York City officials preview the parade route and try to eliminate as many potential obstacles as possible, including rotating overhead traffic signals out of the way.

text: Since 2001, Macy's Studios has partnered with the Universal Orlando Resort (owned by NBC parent NBCUniversal) to bring balloons and floats from New York City to the theme park in Florida every holiday season in an event known as the Macy's Holiday Parade. The parade is performed daily and includes the iconic Santa Claus float. Performers from the Orlando area are cast as various clowns, and the park used to invite guests to be "balloon handlers" for the parade.[27]

text: In 2017, the Macy's Holiday Parade was renamed to Universal's Holiday Parade Featuring Macy's.

text: Injuries

text:
In 1993, the Sonic the Hedgehog balloon crashed into a lamppost at Columbus Circle and injured a child and an off-duty police officer.[28]
In 1997, very high winds pushed the Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost.[29] The falling debris struck a parade-goer, fracturing her skull and leaving her in a coma for a month. Three other people were also injured from the lamp post. Size rules were implemented the next year, eliminating larger balloons like the Cat in the Hat.[30]
In 2005, the M&M's balloon caught on a streetlight in Times Square and dropped parts of the light onto two sisters were struck by the falling debris, suffering minor injuries. As a result, new safety rules were introduced.[31] The M&M's balloon was retired after 2006.

tag: ul

text: In popular culture

text:
The 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street, begins with the parade, as do most of its remakes. The film centers around the real Santa Claus being hired to work at Macy's after its own Santa impersonator gets drunk during the parade. NBC, in its telecasts of the parade, often showed the original 1947 film on Thanksgiving afternoon, following its coverage of the parade and the National Dog Show.
In the Seinfeld episode "The Mom and Pop Store", Elaine wins a spot on the parade route for her boss, Mr. Pitt, to hold the Woody Woodpecker balloon.
The first Thanksgiving-themed episode of Friends centered on the accidental release of the (unused at the time) "Underdog" balloon.
"Macy's Day Parade" is a song by Green Day.
In 2008, a Coca-Cola CGI ad aired in the United States during Super Bowl XLII. The commercial's plot centered around Underdog and fictional Stewie Griffin balloons chasing a Coke bottle-shaped balloon through New York City. The spot ended with a Charlie Brown balloon holding the Coke balloon. The advertisement won a Silver Lion Award at the annual Lions International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France that year, and the clip of the commercial with the Griffin balloon was featured in a Macy's commercial in October 2008 (along with clips from Miracle on 34th Street, I Love Lucy, Seinfeld and other media where the Macy's department store was mentioned). The commercial was also referenced in an episode of Family Guy. Stewie, who is one of the main characters in the show, is seen watching the parade only to see the balloon of himself in the parade.
In the 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters, the new team of Ghostbusters fights a haunted balloon parade including several Macy's balloons from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.


document_title: Maine Coon

question_text: how long does it take for a maine coon cat to be fully grown

text: Maine Coon

text: History[edit]

text: Origin[edit]

text: The ancestral origins of the Maine Coon are unknown[6] — there are only speculation and folk tales. One such folk tale involves Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, who was executed in 1793. The story goes that before her death, Antoinette attempted to escape France with the help of Captain Samuel Clough. She loaded Clough's ship with her most prized possessions, including six of her favorite Turkish Angora cats. Although she did not make it to the United States, her pets safely reached the shores of Wiscasset, Maine, where they bred with other short-haired breeds and developed into the modern breed of the Maine Coon.[7]

text: Another folk tale involves Captain Charles Coon, an English seafarer who kept long-haired cats aboard his ships. Whenever Coon's ship would anchor in New England ports, the felines would exit the ship and mate with the local feral cat population. When long-haired kittens began appearing in the litters of the local cat population, they were referred to as one of "Coon's cats".[8]

text: A myth which is trait-based, though genetically impossible,[9] is the idea that the modern Maine Coon descended from ancestors of semi-feral domestic cats and raccoons. This myth is likely based on the common color of the breed (brown tabby) and its bushy tail.[10] Another idea is that the Maine Coon originated from the matings of domestic cats and wild bobcats, which could explain the tufts of hair that are so commonly seen on the tips of the ears.[8]

text: The generally accepted hypothesis among breeders is that the Maine Coon is descended from the pairings of local short-haired domestic cats and long-haired breeds brought overseas by English seafarers (possibly by Captain Charles Coon) or 11th-century Norsemen.[10][11] The connection to the Norsemen is seen in the strong resemblance of the Maine Coon to the Norwegian Forest Cat, another breed that is said to be a descendant of cats that traveled with the Norsemen.[12][13]

text: Cat shows and popularity[edit]

text: The first mention of Maine Coons in a literary work was in 1861, in Frances Simpson's The Book of the Cat (1903). F.R. Pierce, who owned several Maine Coons, wrote a chapter about the breed.[14] During the late 1860s, farmers located in Maine told stories about their cats and held the "Maine State Champion Coon Cat" contest at the local Skowhegan Fair.[8]

text: In 1895, a dozen Maine Coons were entered into a show in Boston. On 8 May 1895, the first North American cat show was hosted at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A female Maine Coon brown tabby, named Cosey, was entered into the show. Owned by Mrs. Fred Brown, Cosey won the silver collar and medal and was named Best in Show.[15] The silver collar was purchased by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Foundation with the help of a donation from the National Capital Cat Show. The collar is housed at the CFA Central Office in the Jean Baker Rose Memorial Library.[8]

text: In the early 20th century, the Maine Coon's popularity began to decline with the introduction of other long-haired breeds, such as the Persian, which originated in the Middle East. The last recorded win by a Maine Coon in a national cat show for over 40 years was in 1911 at a show in Portland, Oregon. The breed was rarely seen after that. The decline was so severe that the breed was declared extinct in the 1950s, although this declaration was considered to be exaggerated and reported prematurely at the time. The Central Maine Cat Club (CMCC) was created in the early 1950s by Alta Smith and Ruby Dyer in attempts to increase the popularity of the Maine Coon. For 11 years, the CMCC held cat shows and hosted exhibitions of photographs of the breed and is noted for creating the first written breed standards for the Maine Coon.[8]

text: The Maine Coon was denied provisional breed status—one of the three steps required for a breed not yet recognized by the CFA to be able to compete in championship competitions[16]—by the CFA three times, which led to the formation of the Maine Coon Cat Club in 1973. The breed was finally accepted by the CFA under provisional status on 1 May 1975, and was approved for championship status on 1 May 1976. The next couple of decades saw a rise in popularity of the Maine Coon, with championship victories and an increase in national rankings. In 1985, the state of Maine announced that the breed would be named the official State Cat.[17] Today the Maine Coon is the third most popular cat breed, according to the number of kittens registered with the CFA.[18]

text: Breed description[edit]

text: The Maine Coon is the largest breed of domestic cat. On average, males weigh from 13 to 18 lb (5.9 to 8.2 kg) with females weighing from 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg).[19] The height of adults can vary between 10 and 16 in (25 and 41 cm) and they can reach a length of up to 48 in (120 cm), including the tail, which can reach a length of 14 in (36 cm)[20] and is long, tapering, and heavily furred, almost resembling a raccoon's tail. The body is solid and muscular, which is necessary for supporting their own weight, and the chest is broad. Maine Coons possess a rectangular body shape and are slow to physically mature; their full potential size is normally not reached until they are three to five years old, while other cats take about one year.[21]

text: In 2010, the Guinness World Records accepted a male purebred Maine Coon named "Stewie" as the "Longest Cat" measuring 48.5 in (123 cm) from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. Stewie died 4 February 2013, from cancer at his home in Reno, Nevada, at age 8.[22][23] As of 2015 the living record-holder for "Longest Cat" is "Ludo", measuring 3 ft 10.59 in (118.33 cm). He lives in Wakefield, UK.[24] Large Maine Coons can overlap in length with Eurasian lynxes, although with a much lighter build and lower height.[25]

text: The Maine Coon is a long or medium haired cat. The coat is soft and silky, although texture may vary with coat color. The length is shorter on the head and shoulders, and longer on the stomach and flanks with some cats having a lion-like ruff around their neck. Minimal grooming is required for the breed, compared to other long-haired breeds, as their coat is mostly self-maintaining owing to a light-density undercoat. The coat is subject to seasonal variation,[26] with the fur being thicker in the winter and thinner during the summer.

text: Maine Coons can have any colors that other cats have. Colors indicating crossbreeding, such as chocolate, lavender, the Siamese pointed patterns or the "ticked" patterns, are not accepted by some breed standards (the 'ticked' pattern, for example, is accepted by TICA).[8] The most common pattern seen in the breed is brown tabby.[27] All eye colors are accepted under breed standards, with the exception of the occurrence of blue-colored or odd-eyes (i.e. two eyes of different colors) in cats possessing coat colors other than white.[26]

text: Maine Coons have several physical adaptations for survival in harsh winter climates. Their dense water-resistant fur is longer and shaggier on their underside and rear for extra protection when they are walking or sitting on top of wet surfaces of snow or ice.[28] Their long and bushy raccoon-like tail is resistant to sinking in snow, and can be curled around their face and shoulders for warmth and protection from wind and blowing snow and it can even be curled around their backside like an insulated seat cushion when sitting down on a snow or ice surface.[29] Large paws, and especially the extra-large paws of polydactyl Maine Coons,[30] facilitate walking on snow and are often compared to snowshoes.[28] Long tufts of fur growing between their toes help keep the toes warm and further aid walking on snow by giving the paws additional structure without significant extra weight.[29] Heavily furred ears with extra long tufts of fur growing from inside help keep their ears warm.[28]

text: Many of the original Maine Coon cats that inhabited the New England area possessed a trait known as polydactylism (having one or more extra toes on the feet).[28] While some sources claim that trait is thought to have occurred in approximately 40% of the Maine Coon population in Maine at one time, little evidence has been given to substantiate this claim.[31] Polydactylism is rarely, if ever, seen in Maine Coons in the show ring since it is unacceptable by competition standards.[32] The gene for polydactylism is a simple autosomal dominant gene,[33] which has shown to pose no threat to the cat's health.[34] The trait was almost eradicated from the breed due to the fact that it was an automatic disqualifier in show rings.[35] Private organizations and breeders were created in order to keep polydactylism in Maine Coons from disappearing.

text: Maine Coons are known as the "gentle giants"[5] and possess above-average intelligence, making them relatively easy to train.[4] They are known for being loyal to their family and cautious—but not mean—around strangers, but are independent and not clingy. The Maine Coon is generally not known for being a "lap cat" but their gentle disposition makes the breed relaxed around dogs, other cats, and children. They are playful throughout their lives, with males tending to be more clownish and females generally possessing more dignity, yet both are equally affectionate.[28] Many Maine Coons have a fascination with water and some theorize that this personality trait comes from their ancestors, who were aboard ships for much of their lives.[6] Maine Coons are also well known for being very vocal cats. They are known for their frequent yowling or howling, trilling, chirping, and making other loud vocalizations.[36]

text:
A sitting Maine Coon

Female Maine Coon brown tabby, age 6.

A Maine Coon kitten at three days old

Cream shaded Maine Coon

Maine Coon silver tabby

Maine Coon kitten at 75 days old

text: Diet[edit]

text: Maine Coons[37] require ample protein and nutrients in their diets. Since they are a large cat breed with high levels of energy, it is best to feed them quality food. Food that lists meat as the first ingredient is best for the Maine Coon.[38]

text: Health[edit]

text: Pet insurance data obtained from a study during years 2003–2006 in Sweden puts the median lifespan of the Maine Coon at >12.5 years. 74% lived to 10 years or more and 54% lived to 12.5 years or more.[39] Maine Coons are generally a healthy and hardy breed and have adapted to survive the New England climate. The most severe threat is feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common heart disease seen in cats, whether pure bred or not. In Maine Coons, it is thought to be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Middle-aged to older cats as well as males are thought to be predisposed to the disease.[40] HCM is a progressive disease and can result in heart failure, paralysis of the hind legs due to clot embolization originating in the heart, and sudden death.[41] A specific mutation that causes HCM is seen in Maine Coons for which testing services are offered.[42] Of all the Maine Coons tested for the MyBPC mutation at the Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Lab at the College of Veterinary Medicine located at Washington State University, approximately one-third tested positive.[43] Not all cats that tested positive will have clinical signs of the disease and some Maine Coon cats with clinical evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy test negative for this mutation, strongly suggesting that a second mutation exists in the breed. The HCM prevalence was found to be 10.1% (95% CI 5.8 -14.3% ) in this study.[44]

text: Another potential health problem is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), another genetically inherited disease which causes the loss of the spinal-cord neurons which activate the skeletal muscles of the trunk and limbs. Symptoms are normally seen within 3–4 months of age and result in muscle atrophy, muscle weakness, and a shortened life span. A test is offered to detect the genes responsible for SMA.[45]

text: Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint which can cause crippling lameness and arthritis. The cats most commonly affected with hip dysplasia tend to be males of the larger, big-boned breeds such as Persians and Maine Coons. The relatively smaller size and weight of cats frequently results in symptoms that are less pronounced.[46] X-rays submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) between 1974 and 2011 indicates that 24.3% of Maine Coons in the database were dysplastic. The Maine Coon is the only cat breed listed in the database.[47]

text: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a slowly progressive disease affecting Persian and Persian-related breeds, in which fluid-filled cysts expand within the kidneys, destroying functional tissue. While renal cysts are observed with a low incidence in Maine Coons, PKD appears to be a misnomer in this particular breed. In a recent study[48] spanning 8 years, renal cysts were documented by ultrasound in 7 of 187 healthy Maine Coons enrolled in a pre-breeding screening programme. The cysts were mostly single and unilateral (6/7, 85.7%) small (mean 3.6 mm in diameter) and located at corticomedullary junction (4/6, 66.7%), thus different in size, numbers and location from those observed in Persian-related breeds. In the same study, not only did all six Maine Coon cats with renal cysts test negative for the PKD1 mutation, proving the disease in these cats to be unrelated to the PKD observed in Persians and related breeds, but gene sequencing of these cats failed to demonstrate any common genetic sequences. The presence of renal cysts, in the absence of other changes, does not appear to negatively impact the patients' quality of life, as those for which follow-up was available were reported alive and well in adulthood. Although the exact nature and clinical relevance of renal cysts in Maine Coons is currently unknown, its screening is still recommended for pre-breeding assessment. Ultrasonography is currently the only valid diagnostic method for its detection in this breed.


document_title: Statistical dispersion

question_text: measures of indicate how scores are spread out in a distribution

text: Statistical dispersion

text: Measures[edit]

text: A measure of statistical dispersion is a nonnegative real number that is zero if all the data are the same and increases as the data become more diverse.

text: Most measures of dispersion have the same units as the quantity being measured. In other words, if the measurements are in metres or seconds, so is the measure of dispersion. Examples of dispersion measures include:

text:
Standard deviation
Interquartile range (IQR)
Range
Mean absolute difference (also known as Gini mean absolute difference)
Median absolute deviation (MAD)
Average absolute deviation (or simply called average deviation)
Distance standard deviation

text: These are frequently used (together with scale factors) as estimators of scale parameters, in which capacity they are called estimates of scale. Robust measures of scale are those unaffected by a small number of outliers, and include the IQR and MAD.

text: All the above measures of statistical dispersion have the useful property that they are location-invariant and linear in scale. This means that if a random variable X has a dispersion of SX then a linear transformation Y = aX + b for real a and b should have dispersion SY = |a|SX, where |a| is the absolute value of a, that is, ignores a preceding negative sign –.

text: Other measures of dispersion are dimensionless. In other words, they have no units even if the variable itself has units. These include:

text:
Coefficient of variation
Quartile coefficient of dispersion
Relative mean difference, equal to twice the Gini coefficient
Entropy: While the entropy of a discrete variable is location-invariant and scale-independent, and therefore not a measure of dispersion in the above sense, the entropy of a continuous variable is location invariant and additive in scale: If Hz is the entropy of continuous variable z and y=ax+b, then Hy=Hx+log(a).

text: There are other measures of dispersion:

text:
Variance (the square of the standard deviation) – location-invariant but not linear in scale.
Variance-to-mean ratio – mostly used for count data when the term coefficient of dispersion is used and when this ratio is dimensionless, as count data are themselves dimensionless, not otherwise.

text: Some measures of dispersion have specialized purposes, among them the Allan variance and the Hadamard variance.

text: For categorical variables, it is less common to measure dispersion by a single number; see qualitative variation. One measure that does so is the discrete entropy.

text: Sources[edit]

text: In the physical sciences, such variability may result from random measurement errors: instrument measurements are often not perfectly precise, i.e., reproducible, and there is additional inter-rater variability in interpreting and reporting the measured results. One may assume that the quantity being measured is stable, and that the variation between measurements is due to observational error. A system of a large number of particles is characterized by the mean values of a relatively few number of macroscopic quantities such as temperature, energy, and density. The standard deviation is an important measure in Fluctuation theory, which explains many physical phenomena, including why the sky is blue.[2]

text: In the biological sciences, the quantity being measured is seldom unchanging and stable, and the variation observed might additionally be intrinsic to the phenomenon: It may be due to inter-individual variability, that is, distinct members of a population differing from each other. Also, it may be due to intra-individual variability, that is, one and the same subject differing in tests taken at different times or in other differing conditions. Such types of variability are also seen in the arena of manufactured products; even there, the meticulous scientist finds variation.

text: In economics, finance, and other disciplines, regression analysis attempts to explain the dispersion of a dependent variable, generally measured by its variance, using one or more independent variables each of which itself has positive dispersion. The fraction of variance explained is called the coefficient of determination.

text: A partial ordering of dispersion[edit]

text: A mean-preserving spread (MPS) is a change from one probability distribution A to another probability distribution B, where B is formed by spreading out one or more portions of A's probability density function while leaving the mean (the expected value) unchanged.[3] The concept of a mean-preserving spread provides a partial ordering of probability distributions according to their dispersions: of two probability distributions, one may be ranked as having more dispersion than the other, or alternatively neither may be ranked as having more dispersion.